The Roman Catholic Church is a Christian denomination of believers who are "in communion" with
the papacy. The largest Christian church currently in existence, it is characterized by an
episcopal hierarchy with the pope as its head, a belief in seven sacraments and the authority of
tradition alongside scripture.

This FAQ on Roman Catholicism will cover matters of doctrine, matters of debate, and basic historical information.

The Popes
The title pope stems from the Greek word papas, which simply means "father." Early in
Christian history it was used as a formal title expressing affectionate respect for any bishop
and sometimes even priests. Today it continues to be used in Eastern Orthodox churches for the
patriarch of Alexandria. Here you can find basic information about the popes - including lists
of the shortest papacies, the longest papcies and the popes during the 20th century.

Catholicism & Homosexuality
What is the official Roman Catholic relationship with homosexuality? It's
unusual, actually - homosexual behavior is not approved, but the homosexual
orientation is accepted. Unfortunately, disapproval of the former often leads to
condemnation of the latter. More importantly, the Roman Catholic Church is locked
into this difficulty because any changes regarding homosexuality would affect the
position on things like abortion and birth control.

Catholicism & Health Care
Does your community hospital provide services like abortion, birth control counseling,
or even emergency contraception after rape? How about voluntary sterilization or
infertility treatments? Will your hospital honor the wishes of yourself or your spouse
to have recussitation efforts stopped or life support withdrawn? Even if you have
a legally valid living will?

News and Commentary about Mel Gibson's movie The Passion
Mel Gibson's upcoming movie "The Passion," about the death of Jesus Christ, has been the target
of praise and criticism. Evangelical Christians who have seen the movie have praised it while
Jews and others concerned about possible Anti-Semitic overtones have criticized it. Defenders
argue that it is an accurate portrayal of the gospel accounts of Jesus' death and that,
therefore, is good enough. Are they right?

Books on Catholicism
Recently reviewed books dealing with Catholic doctrines, Catholic history and Catholic debates.
here are many books published every year dealing with Catholicism, with some of the best
reviewed here.